Loneliness, Hatred, Reason, Revolution - Freedomain Radio Listener Emails

[brindlebriar]

STEFBOT, to clarify what I mean: Cavemen A and B were walking out under the great blue sky over the great green earth, common heritage of all living things, when caveman A said, "This is all mine now. Get off or die." Caveman B said, "WTF, no it's not," whereupon he recived a spear through the ribs courtesy of C.A. Thousands of years later, C.A's descendants or those who purchased from them or killed them in like manner, still claim the ground is theirs, and enforce this theft via police.

[brindlebriar]

Retarded people keep responding to my comments. How do I get a question to Stefbot? STEFBOT, how does ownership of land - the sold-and-bought or inherited consequence of the taking by force of said land by some people from everyone else, and maintained still by force today - jive with the non-aggression principle? In short, how can you support land ownership, given that it was created and is maintained by aggressive use of force.

[brindlebriar]

I have always been of libertarian/anarchist persuasion, long before I had heard of the terms, but 1) Morality is not objective. 2) Property rights are justifiable - according to YOUR morality - only for created property that is created out of non-scarce resources. I invite you to consider that second point in light of this premise: land is owned because it was taken by force, from the other humans who existed at the time, and from all the unborn generations who ever may come to exist.

[cynicist]

@brindlebriar What makes you think morality is subjective?

[brindlebriar]

@cynicist Well, that's pretty much a given by now, but you can figure it out for youself by taking about 10 minutes to try to think up an objective moral standard. Of course, you have to understand what 'objective' and 'subjective' mean. To give you a clue into the enormity of the task before you, note that we can't even be certain that there is an objective reality. If you do figure out how to demonstrate the objectivity of some moral standard, publish it and be famous.

[cynicist]

@brindlebriar

Well I took a few seconds and came to the conclusion that if there is no objective standard for morality then we as a society cannot punish individuals based on their behavior. (since what is right depends entirely on your beliefs) I'm not sure you have completely thought that position through. Debating subjective reality is like debating god. There is no evidence for it and it is impossible to prove either way, so it is essentially mental masturbation. Btw check out stef's UPB.

[brindlebriar]

@cynicist First, you may want to take more than a few seconds next time. Second, if you did, you may realize that with or without objective morality we can do whatever the hell we are capable of doing, including punish people for their behavior. However, we should not, in my subjective opinion. Finally, for something to qualify as any sort of masturbation, it ought to be pleasurable. That is,again,my subjective opinion, which is superior to your own subjective opinion in my subjective opinion.

[Hreinn91]

You talk tooooooo fast. Please I beg of you, slow down. I dont know if you have addressed this subject before but if that is the case, please reconcider ;)

[Svetlozarov]

How can you thrust those defence agencies, today only rich walk around with bodygards, why would they just always listen to the rich just for extra funds they can get them. I want you baloon to go up and hopefully lift evrybody away from this idiotic sitem but if it pops and and we fall back to the we won't be 1/100 of free as we are now. The state will do all to prevent a second trie and if falling down to slavery puts inoubidient philosofers pulling rocks to make pyramids they wil do it.

[HavocGunStar]

AND oiled.

[LibertyJedi]

"better families = better governments" Stef ties EVERYTHING to this idea. Not sure it is 100% true based on evidence. US was much free-er in 1776, does that mean the families of that time were just better than today? Same: other time(s) in history. Or is it just elite families and all their warp-age that causes slave societies? Family has part but maybe over valued by Stef as main reason. Cities > socialism than country in U.S. is that all do to families of city dwellers vs country dweller?

[Nebbyker]

Yes it is indeed challenging to hold rational beliefs that contradict almost everybody else's unwavering blind faith into the system. And openly confronting everyone about philosophical ideals can make moving around your neighborhood a challenge at best. But at least it is refreshing that thanks to the internet it's possible to find others who hold similar beliefs and know that I am not alone who feel 'the splinter in my mind that the world is not as it should be.'

[Kangarooman38]

people need to be exposed to these ideas at a young age. It's sad. I showed one freedomain radio video to a family member at it was amazing how fast they felt they had to attack your ideas. They were defensive because THATS HOW INTERTWINED THESE SOCIETAL IDEAS ARE!

[qncsc]

@ stefbot re perspective - you state, "the average person knows 10-15 philosophers." what is an average person in this context? if you truly mean average then you need to be aware that you are plugged into people that are wholly unaverage. you need to be aware of that problem. if you base analysis on what is average but that is corrupted then your analysis will too be corrupted. for me the central problem, is many people desire "Guns" in society and want them. It is a demand for a supply

[GoddaM777]

may sound like a dumb question and you've probably mentioned it in previous vids, but what was your previous occupation, before you decided to submerge yourself fully into philosophy?

[Debatewithme]

@GoddaM777 He started a small software company and then sold it...and I am very much envious...

[jerktrucker]

u talk too much

[LJPpro]

Thank you very much for answering my question Stef. I was pleasantly surprised and excited to see that you did a video response. You answered my question completely and then some. I've actually watched a few times just to make sure I got it all.

It's a pretty cool/surreal interactive experience to have a q and a over the internet and see someone reading and answering my question.

Funny you mention good and evil since I'm currently reading (slowly) Beyond Good and Evil by Nietzsche.

[not2tees]

Do one of these every week, I'd say.

[OdeToNecrophilia]

I hope you have a most wonderful week as well :)

[OdeToNecrophilia]

HEY! are you saying rights don't exist because they are meta-physical?

[haterdrinkinhaterade]

the laws of science do change though. go from the newtonian level of physics to quantum physics and, although no one will deny newtonian laws are accurate (because they are natural laws and not theories, therefore they are absolute), the laws change completely and fall apart.

and if you still want to bring up our ignorance of reality to explain this, because they are natural laws and therefore absolute, you would therefore have to discredit the idea of reason and rationality you praise so much.

[burlearth]

Great Q&A Stef, have you read the book "The Explanation of ideology" by Emmanuel Todd? It proposes the idea that family structures are the source of different politcal ideologies and why those ideologies may rise or fall according to the compatibility/incompatibility with the dominant family structure in a given country.

[zonsb]

I see us self-enlightened ones primarily as swimming downstream with the flow of what it is to be a mysticism-free conscious being and the rest of the populace swing upstream against that.

The individual is not the group.

[zonsb]

@Stef: Just curious if you were abused as a child and grew up to be destructive only to realize that you could "reprogram" yourself to align with the non aggression principle and moral ethics? I ask because if that is not the case then you would be an exception to the rule that childhood abuse causes the person to grow up to be destructive.

I p[probably haven't chosen the best descriptive words above so please allow for that. I mainly wanted to get the point across. Hopeful it wasn't lost.

[KenjiSmashMassMola]

first!

[natmanprime]

Hmmm. In a kind of agreement with D3mi4n, the reality is the OPPOSITE from what you are saying. @18:30 --You say the family's communistic and socialistic!

WHAT???

Families have a head! A top-down structure of control! That's not communism!

Then you recognize the way families are run, and STILL call it communism!

FACT

communism means: To behave with respect to the commune/community.

What happened in Russia/China was Stalinism, Maoism. Totalitarian societies, central authority figures.

[illtunz]

What are your thoughts as far as logic and reason pertaining to morals? You say morals are objective and universal which I'm not sure if I agree. Maybe I do, but I don't think any human can see things truly objectively on their own. My point is that many immoral acts have been demonstrated through logic and reason alone. Anyways Stefan, I appreciate the simple fact that you encourage people to think and make sound arguments. I hope you find the truth because I have. Keep up the good work....

[nima1981]

Stef, this is EconomicsJunkie. just wanted to point this out because I often notice contradictions when you communicate things around existence vs beliefs/concepts.

This is you in the youtube clip on the MetaFilter comments around

17:28: "... I don't believe in rights."

This is you in this clip:

12:12: "...well it's not that I don't believe in rights, it's that rights don't exist."

Maybe I am being nitpicky, but for some reason these kinds of things bother me whenever I encounter them. :)

[SomethingSea1]

@nima1981 watch?v=v630xZ7YSOQ

[kokopelli314]

10:42 "We have logic because the world is rational"

Please please please...Stef. Stick with ethics!!!

[SOCRATES012]

assumptions :)

[Nomels]

Preferable behaviour is - grab as much as you can from others, enslave people and control everyone. It gives more chances to survive.

[libertopian]

Just a small point, Stef: I was wondering if you are familiar you are with the work of Hans-Hermann Hoppe? He makes a compelling case that, from an anarcho-capitalist point of view, democracy is a much worse form of government than monarchy. Maybe you would find his material worthwhile. It put libertarianism in a whole new light for me.

[timbosforporn]

I was introduced to the concept of natural law through the inernet. Rush Limbaugh would never have been able to introduce me to that. The internet is a boon for libertarians.

[fertilizerspike]

You want proof that the world is run by retarded monkeys? Lady Gaga gets 1,000,000 hits and this guy gets 1,000. Really makes you feel outnumbered if you ever stop to think about it.

[TheStig000]

@fertilizerspike That's simply because Lady Gaga takes zero intelligence to comprehend, but this guy takes over 9000.

[bunsh1ch1]

Stef suggests that the reason people are anti-philosophical is because:

1) They have a biological need to follow the herd for survival.

2) They were traumatized as children and want a government that reflects their F'uped family life.

So what about people like Stef who grew up in the same F'uped world as the rest of us, had the bad childhood, yet are reasoning from first principles? Doesn't this suggest that people who reason from first principles are different because of nature, not nurture?

[TheStig000]

@bunsh1ch1 He never said there was no way out. You have to want to get out though.

[D3mi4n]

But you (stef) could function in a stateless society, even tought, and correct me if I'm wrong, your upbringing took place in a rigid and strict family.

Isn't that making a rule and putting yourself as an exception?

[TheStig000]

@D3mi4n What are you even asking? Are you asking if he could function in a stateless society? What does him functioning in a stateless society have to do with his upbringing?

[LTBL88]

@D3mi4n No - he didn't make a rule that a poor upbringing necessarily and universally results in an amoral or unethical adult - he just says that this is almost always the case unless the person chooses to confront and overcome their past (which almost all people do not do)

[Debatewithme]

Could you tell me if you have a podcast on boredom?

[TheStig000]

@Debatewithme I think he does. Go search for it on his site.

[911truthncDotOrg]

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[qtronRobespierre]

How has your experience raising a child change, if at all, your perspectives on family and parenthood

[Iseeyoursoul]

Hey ! What??? No "Hope you're doing well at the end?? "

Another excellent and powerful video Stef!

[Chameleon41]

"People don't have the freedom to believe whatever they want."

Why not? Why must they subject their beliefs to reason and evidence?

[lordmetroid]

While extremely highly unlikely, statistically the table could fluctate into an ostrich. This is what is part of the Boltzmann Brain paradox.

[darksettler]

You say that the state is evil?, isnt good and evil just someones own perception?

[tunezindahouse]

@darksettler according to stefan its evil, and many others

[Koog1e]

@darksettler Good and Bad is down to perception. Evil system state controlling both sides pulling the strings, & benefiting out of the problems they cause and their stupidsolutions that cause more problems. Pure SCUM basically. Someone who steals because of life situation/survival/overpriced drugs might be thought of bad, but its the fucking arrogant greedy evil scumbags that cause those situations, criminalize, discriminate create ill-conceived laws, fake /manipulate data & evidence to continue

[lordmetroid]

Why do you have your computer in the ceiling?

[Sliptodance]

3:10 One previous study of mine was how to derive food from wild plants without agriculture. The basis of that was a deep mistrust of mainstream society. I know I hardly practice the foraging art at all these days, but an objective of showing how you want to relate to society is achievable by using the internet (without any pulling of wild tubers in the woods).

[justmyself991]

We are all sculpted somewhat by our parents , but once we reach adult age we all have the right to choose what we want to believe etc.

So for that reason we are not always held down by our parents , unless we are talking about people who never truly grow up.

[CelticReject]

I've often wondered whether it would be better to have no philosophical beliefs, and no interest in economics/politics. To be concerned only with celebrity gossip, materialism etc. Is it better to be questioning, and have 3 friends. Or non questioning, and have 30 friends? Is it easier to be part of the tribe, or a lone wolf?

Is ignorance bliss?

[N7a7v7i]

@CelticReject Ignorance only feels like bliss. Problem is, once you know it's ignorance, it's just ignorance, you can't feel the same bliss anymore. And then you start getting curious about what else you think you know but might actually be wrong, and then you can't turn the lightbulb in your head off anymore, you want to discover the real truth about everything. You have to self-abuse to ridiculous lengths to keep yourself ignorant enough to be happy in this world.

[boosuff]

I really like the the content and style of this presentation. Been following your vids for a while and this helps to summarize all the other topics you cover and gives a foundation from which everything else derives. Makes a nice little "book-end".

[RemiG2006]

Sure Stef! You make difference every day! Hopefully you are not the only one. There are more of us! ;)

Keep up good the job.

[TheJovanist]

naughty philosophy must be spanked......L M A O

[justmyself991]

@TheJovanist lol

[RenegadeTimes]

Thank you Stef. I connected with your words.

[MisterAvis]

Got to thinking about your atheism interview. What is a simple, repeatable scientific experiment that I can conduct at home to conclusively disprove the existence of (intelligent design) at every level?

[HigherPlanes]

I feel exactly like the guy who wrote the first letter on a daily basis

[pelucas716]

yey, thanks stef, keep these up, they r fun, fascinating and very insightful :)

[MisterFIXXX]

i am thinking of printing out your face, with the eyes looking into the distance. and a word-baloon with "Hmmm" near your mouth

[freekrolik]

thanks stefan

[davyjames]

Stef you say Democracy is an improvement over Feudalism. What do you make of Hans-Hermann Hoppe's arguments online, and in his book Democracy the god that failed?

[twistedbydsign99]

Don't you think most people are not philosophical because they were bullied? That was my major reason.

[Sivels]

@twistedbydsign99 I think you're on to something there... In this system and society that we grow up in, everyone is bullied one way or the other. The environment many kids are put in makes them prey and turn on each other.

[MrDorkusMaximus]

I hereby bump up this video's rating, using my comment containing no real content, except my note that when Stefan is gone, so will a light unto the darkness be extinguished. May his beautiful daughter take up the torch...

[kevin77v]

@MrDorkusMaximus and 1000s of listeners.

[HelmetBlissta]

Steph when you talk about the family , is it the relatively modern nuclear family?

This is a poor form, older societies lived in other ways , more tribally or 'communally'. The nuclear family is mostly good for capitalists to sell more fridges etc .

[masonkiller666]

@HelmetBlissta I'm pretty sure Stef doesn't support any certain type of family, just as long as no violence is initiated.

[HelmetBlissta]

@masonkiller666 , ok thank you. My question was about Steph saying the state mirrors the family. My point is that the nuclear family is a modern form and not necessarily the best .Living together in groups may be a better way. The nuclear family keeps us apart and disempowered and industry can sell us more fridges etc.

[roberto8ag]

Hola,

"Is not that I don't believe in rights, is that rights don't exist. Rights are concepts within our minds... " - stefbot

That part made me remember a famous quote:

"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him." - Voltaire

And that quote took me to Carl Jung:

"Scientific materialism has merely introduced a new hypostasis, and that is an intellectual sin." - Carl Jung

Isn't it an intellectual error to ask for a material proof of a psychological principle?

[lordthawkeye]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't anarcho-communism an oxymoron?

"Hey you making the pies. You have to share them with everyone so it's fair"

"Do you any ability to force me to?"

"No..."

"Well get lost then!"

And if the answer instead is yes, congrats, you now have a state and thus aren't anarchic. It doesn't make any sense.

[HelmetBlissta]

@lordthawkeye You may be wrong. Anarcho communism could be everyone voluntarily working for the common good, rather than to profit from each other . I hope that humans can find motivation in something other than the profit motive. To those who say we can't , I suggest that it's because we are currently in a fractured and very shallow society and that's why people only motivate for profit . With a other societal forms we could find motivation in a variety of ways.

[derekaiton]

Was that a plane?

[aghoranathi]

I like to dream that Brahman and Atman exist, it is nice ice cream.

[aghoranathi]

You say Sartre funny, :)

[wizkid2000]

For someone who loves philosophy, you seem to subscribe to some form of scientism. It's amazing how you don't understand how flawed this is.

[Panpiper]

@wizkid2000 I dare say that Stef is a logical positivist, which certainly includes a heavy dose of scientific empiricism. Scientific method is without question the best approach to understanding the truth about objective reality. But there are other domains of understanding in which principles of logic are more applicable than a strict adherence to empirical method, such as economics for instance.

[gradiu3rox]

@wizkid2000 then where do I need to go to find the truth?  or is that just your opinion?

[wizkid2000]

@gradiu3rox

Science is not the only or final arbiter of truth. For example a priori knowledge is true and not scientific. Anyone who understands basic philosophy knows that that god is metaphysical claim that can not be addressed by science.

[MaikUniversum]

more videos like that, really enjoyed :)

[TheNewRenaissance]

I found it helps to come to the level of mental maturation to realize that there never was and never going to be a 'Golden Age' or 'Garden of Eden'. The strife in life is part of the process, there are two sides of every coin. Its all just evolution, there is no 'perfect', the universe is just always trying something different.

[SunBeamsan]

Morality never changes, or has exceptions? SO you believe in the Categorical Imperative??

[Panpiper]

@MrManuelNoriega Ah yes, you hear that Stef? You should create a political party and join the political process, so 'you' can try to control the reins of state. ;-)

'Joining' the political process affirms your consent to it, it tells the world that you approve of the process and the existence of the state enough to join in that process. This is absolutely the opposite of everything Stef stands for.

[Panpiper]

@MrManuelNoriega Ok, sorry if I read more into your comment than was intended.

May I suggest checking out the forums at mises dot org ?

[boxant]

Thanks, I needed this.

[RevolutionaryJam]

hey Stef can't you commend the lefties for making a positive difference as well as psychoanalysing them? give 'em some credit!

[RevolutionaryJam]

it's interesting that you feel that pure free market is both the most ethical and the most productive, effective, utilitarian and efficient way of running a society. I would say if thats all true, and I'm not denying it may be, then it seems to be rather big coincidence

[Panpiper]

@RevolutionaryJam It's a rather nice coincidence, and really beautiful as well. It is simply this; 'Freedom Works'. Freedom works in all cases, and it doesn't just work, but it is also the most efficient. Could there be anything more beautiful that that?

[RevolutionaryJam]

@Panpiper well there are plenty studies which shows that businesses run collectively are just as effective as those run by single entrepreneurs, although I'm no communist I think the typical work place could benefit from a bit more of "freedom working" such as in Ricardo Semlar's model, afterall, even in a stalinist dictatorship you don't need to ask permission to pee, but in some factories you do.

[N7a7v7i]

@RevolutionaryJam Totally agreed, nothing wrong with collectivism once it is voluntary, it can even be efficient if done right.

[love83forever]

there waiting for the rapture to save them

[RevolutionaryJam]

you missed descartes :-(

[stefbot]

@RevolutionaryJam quite right, thanks!

[thomasdosborneii]

@RevolutionaryJam Too bad we can't erase Descartes.

[superfuzz]

i studied this stuff for years and it did get me down. i had to remove myself from it for the sake of my own happiness. so when people suggest others are "apathetic" be careful not to judge. sometimes apathy is a path that is chosen. if i kept getting depressed and became immobilised with sadness, such as i was feeling, i would be no good to anyone. i CHOSE to remove my mind from. i give it no energy. if america wants to go around killing people so be it. it's not my job to fix it

[capgains]

@superfuzz something to be said for your statement here. and it is a good point

[JahLoveOnline]

yes rights do not exist

and neither does good and evil (morality)

[zalida100]

Stef. 1 question was (roughly) "how do you change society?" You basically said "keep on trying"

Then near end of this vid you said that the philosophy people will accept is the one that is closest to their childhood/family experience etc

I think this is why people "trying to spread "truth"" will always feel frustrated.

The effort needed to try to "change the mind" of one person is so huge, means that at best, the spreading of the "truth" will progress very slowly, because we're all different...

[zalida100]

@zalida100 ... I think you also said that being a beacon of light is the way to go.

This is a good idea, cos it may attract like-minded people to you. If you "live a lie" then people like you will not find you, and so you will miss the enjoyment of their company.

Unless you enjoy the challenge of trying to "re-educate" people, you'll spend your life being frustrated.

Not enough room here to explain my meaning. Hope the idea is understandable.

Great vid - Thanks

[zeusvalentine]

Oddly enough, I think whatever changes do occur in our world, they are not the right ones, and I find myself looking back in time to when the world was a better place. In fact, the only changes I seem to see are new laws which indicate I can't do yet another thing, as opposed to allowing. I guess progress is all about taking freedoms away.

[josda1000]

@EdwardMandellHouse Capitalism is based wholly on property and contract. Both of these require the freedom to trade... not to steal. Anarchy is a lack of government.  I don't see how both of these do not relate to animals.

And why are you arguing that anarcho-communists are progressing further than anarcho-capitalists, when you aren't showing why they are doing a better job? You just criticize capitalists. You'll have to extend your logic.

[TheRealNickBravo]

Excellent video Stef.

[Surhotchaperchlorome]

I'm surprised no one has attempted to rebut your points about consistency with "What about Quantum Physics?"

[EdwardMandellHouse]

Many left anarchist have actually made more moral progress than anarcho-capitalists, even though some of their purposed institutions are questionable. For instance, anarcho-capitalists don't put forward any plausible set of rights/responsibilities when it comes to the lives and sufferings of non-human animals. There is such a gapping void in Libertarian philosophy that in an ideal 'libertarian' society people could legally torture mammals so long as they aren't homo-sapien.

[DaveDoggOwns]

@EdwardMandellHouse There is such a gaping hole in modern society: NOT ENOUGH BUTT SEX!!!!!!

Funny post by the way. It made me ROFL.

[Stargazer5781]

A podcast about why society cannot be organized in the same way families are today would be a stellar one Stef. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it :)

[Surhotchaperchlorome]

@Stargazer5781

Seconded. :)

[KendrickJ2]

contn'd: Like your videos, by the way...

[KendrickJ2]

Why do you believe appeal to ignorance to not be a true fallacy, if I'm not misunderstanding your position? Would the premise of the argument that what we know not to be true equals what we do not to be true, be that all that can be known, is known?

Signed,

Student

[CoWalsh04]

I have a question for you Stef, what happens to a country that takes it's eye of national issues due to globalization. Over the past ten years the West has changed so much, religion, race, taxes, laws, wages, jobs etc. People keep taking about this depression in economic terms, but I see it as something much broader, can you see the movements soon to be created and what will be the result of them ? Will we all start to go nuts with one another ?

[Panpiper]

"Just kidding..." LOL!

I laugh a lot. I laugh when I listen to Stef, not because I am laughing 'at' him, but because I watch the world in much the same manner as I might watch keystone cops, and Stef is very good at revealing the antics of the world. This certainly does not reduce my desire to improve the world, but it does help alleviate angst.

[CredoVeritas]

7:50 Stef.... you ARE a shining beacon.

Thank you.



[smthngdffrnt]

@CredoVeritas hehe bald joke

[CredoVeritas]

@smthngdffrnt Ha! That didn't even cross my mind until you added that. My metaphor senses must have been really dull at that moment.

[TheCapitalistdog]

First!!! What do i win? :-P

[Stabu]

@TheCapitalistdog Terrible spanking...